Founder and Executive Vice President and board member, LJL Biosystems, Inc.
Palo Alto, CA
Galina Leytes is a computer scientist, businesswoman, entrepreneur and philanthropist, with deep understanding of many healthcare-related technology issues and of funding scientific research aimed at making an impact. This unique blend of successful experiences comes from founding and running (together with her husband Lev Leytes) as Executive Vice-President and board member of a NASDAQ biotech company, LJL BioSystems, Inc., an FDA-licensed medical device manufacturer (selling into diagnostics and drug discovery markets), as well as from founding and running (together with Lev) as Vice-President of a non-profit Israel Strategic Alternative Energy Foundation (I-SAEF). I-SAEF has provided academic funding for 24 projects, with three Nobel Laureates serving as members of its Scientific Advisory Board. The technologies funded by I-SAEF, such as converting CO2 into fuel using solar energy, are increasingly serving as cornerstones of founding new companies as well as new licensing opportunities. Prior to co-founding LJL BioSystems, Inc., Galina held senior technical and IT management positions at Charles Schwab, Stanford University, and a variety of tech companies. She successfully structured R&D funding of advanced technology development in academia, and licensing it for commercialization.
Galina has served as a board member of private and public companies, and as a director in the nonprofit sector. In 2009, she was featured in Chinese Entrepreneur magazine as a leading Silicon Valley technology entrepreneur. She’s a recipient of several other prestigious awards.
Galina holds a graduate degree in Computer Science from Kiev Institute of Engineering, and has completed Advanced Management College at Stanford University Graduate School of Business. Galina and Lev live in Palo Alto, California. They are most proud of their two adult daughters, a Stanford graduate and a Yale graduate, and of their two granddaughters.
Fellow: Lev Leytes